Distribution
and Habitat: This plant can be found all over the western Mediterranean,
from the south of Portugal to Malta, and from Morocco to Libya, appearing
mainly on the coast, but also up to 2000 metres, on the Great Atlas mountain
range of the African continent. It grows wild in the Balearic Islands and
in the Iberian Peninsula, from the Costa Brava in Gerona to Cape San Vicente
and Setubal in the south of Portugal, and can be found along the coastal
fringe, on cliffs above the sea, on hillsides and in gorges, at altitudes
normally below 1000 metres. Palmitos grow on the fertile plaines of the
Guadalquivir, as far inland as the province of Jaen.
Like the olive tree (Olea
europea), the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) or the
holm oak (Quercus coccifera and Quercus ilex),
this dwarf palm tree can be considered one of the most representative of
Mediterranean vegetation in the south-west of Europe. Sometimes they become
great impenetrable palm colonies, and others appear more scattered, in
areas that are highly eroded and lacking in virtually any vegetation. They
can be cultivated in all types of soil, from very poor or clay earth, to
soil which is stony, sandy, rocky or very shallow
It usually
grows in sunny positions that are exposed to winds, and normally in areas
that are dry for long periods. The rainfall rarely goes above 500 mm. (20")
annually, although it can thrive where the level frequently rises to 1500
mm.
Cultivation:
Thanks to its rusticity and ability to regenerate after exposure to fire,
the palmito is ecologically very valuable against
soil erosion and desertification.
It does not acclimatise well in tropical
regions, as it prefers temperate or warm climates, where it has proved
very easy to cultivate.
It grows best in sunny positions
or in light shade and where the soil is rich, particularly in lime, and
well drained. The lowest temperature it can tolerate is estimated at about
10ºC below freezing (14ºF).
Its growth is slow or medium, and
its nutritional needs are low, if it receives frequent watering in summer.
It can perfectly withstand being
near the sea and salinity.
Palmitos are excellent as isolating
elements and in forming screens of vegetation, but we must not forget that
as they have the ability to root really well, they can be planted to good
effect on hillsides and terraced land.
The oldest known example of this
palm can be seen in Padua, Italy, "La Palma di Goethe", which was planted
around 1585.
It can be grown
in a pot for a long period, and can acclimatise to an indoor environment
in light that would prove insufficient for a great many plants.
It can been grown easily from seed,
needing 2 to 3 months of warmth and humidity for it to germinate. Some
producers
recommend immersing the seeds in concentrated sulphuric acid for 15 minutes,
prior to sowing, in order to eliminate pulp and speed up the germination
process.
Division of the plants is possible,
although it is not done on a commercial basis.
They are easy to transplant and have
no need to form large root balls.
They require a minimum of maintenance.
Description:
In
its natural habitat this palm usually forms shrubs less than 2 metres high
that are impenetrable. The trunks are generally 15-25 cm. (6-10") in diameter,
covered in fibres, and they keep their dead leaves for a long time. The
"elatior" variety only forms one trunk. Its leaves are palmate, induplicate,
about 40-60 cm. wide and are deeply divided into numerous segments, more
or less rigid, that end in a round tip that divides. The most common colour
is light green, but it can also be greyish blue (var. cerifera) or whitish
and hairy on the underside (var. argentata).
The petiole is thin and strongly
toothed, and reaches a length of 0,50 to 1,00 metres.
Dioecious -there are male and female
plants-, although sometimes the flowers are bisexual, the palmitos have
from a young age begun to form some small yellow inflorescence which appears
between the leaves.
The fruit, which is the size of an
olive, smells bad because the fibrous pulp which surrounds the seeds contains
a high quantity of butiric acid. The fruit has a green tinge to begin with,
and in the autumn turns reddish-brown as it matures. The seeds are rounded
or oval and are very hardy, with the embryo situated laterally. |
